


Yearning for you

by Sarah_Wilde_32



Category: The Good Doctor (TV 2017)
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M, Falling In Love, Flirting, Kissing, Love, Love at First Sight, Passion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:33:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28863357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarah_Wilde_32/pseuds/Sarah_Wilde_32
Summary: What if Neil Melendez was a single man when Claire Browne started her residency at San Jose St. Bonaventure hospital? What if love at first sight happened between them but Neil wouldn't want to act on his feelings because of their work relationship?
Relationships: Claire Browne/Neil Melendez
Comments: 24
Kudos: 27





	Yearning for you

**Author's Note:**

> Dear readers!
> 
> For those who are reading my first baby, story Grateful for you, know me and my writing. One of my favourite things to write about and what I always want to portray when it comes to Melendaire is their flirtatious, playful, and passionate side. I also always read in the comments under chapters of Grateful for you that you really like this side of them so I hope you are going to like this second work of mine too.
> 
> For those readers that clicked on this story and don't read Grateful for you … well, I hope you start after reading this one. 😉 
> 
> The idea for this story popped into my head while I was driving and listening to one particular song. This story was inspired by Black Atlass's song Sacrifice.
> 
> The story is just one shot. For now! I like this idea of Melendaire falling in love at first sight very much. Maybe I will write a longer story based on this one-shot someday but for now, this is it because I have quite a lot of work with Grateful for you. I was thinking if I should even write this now and publish it or if I would just wait to finish Grateful for you but then I said to myself … you know what, I will write it and publish it just to see what readers think of the idea. If you like the idea tell me if you would want to see it come to life as a multi-chapter story.
> 
> I hope you will enjoy reading my second baby, Yearning for you. Let me know what you think in the comment section. Your comments mean a lot to me. They are the only thing that really keeps me going when it comes to my writing. 
> 
> Enjoy! 🤗
> 
> Sarah

_ The story Yearning for you is inspired by Black Atlass's song Sacrifice _

_How do you make dangerous look so beautiful?_

_And how come when you kiss, you turn me into this?_

_I fall in love, oozin' up the way you do that,_

_don't even got you yet, but I can't imagine losing you._

_You know I don't play it safe,_

_sometimes you have to break the rules._

_Yeah, we could call it love, or we could call it nothing._

_But you got what I want, so baby, give me something._

_Yeah, we could call it love, or we could call it nothing._

_But you got what I want, you know I do too._

Claire paid the cab driver and slowly got out of the car opening an umbrella. It was a hot summer night but it was raining like crazy. She could see his car in front of the house. It was nine o'clock in the evening. Him being home already today meant just one thing and Claire couldn't help herself but smile at the victory she felt. She was holding the handle of an umbrella close to her chest making sure she stays dry as much as she can but she could feel raindrops on her legs since she was wearing a short summer dress. Damn it, the cab driver could at least drop her off in front of his house and not on the other side of the road. Idiot.

But honestly, she really didn't care. She didn't care if she is going to knock on his door in completely soaked ballerinas. She just wanted to see him. She needed to see him. He was avoiding her as much as he could. The only time they found themselves together was in the operating room but otherwise, he made sure not to cross paths with her. She knew this was stupid. Coming here. But she couldn't help herself. Plus, those two drinks she had just less than half an hour ago after a hard day also didn't really help her to think rationally. She wasn't drunk but those two whiskeys she drank gave her enough courage to come here. She was curious to know how his favourite whiskey tastes like. And now she knew. And she liked it. Very much so. It tastes strong and intoxicating. Just like his kiss did two months ago. Claire closed her eyes at the memory, feeling a deep yearning for another kiss like that with him.

She slowly made her way across the road cursing the rain falling like it was the end of the world. Once she was under the roof on his doorstep she closed the umbrella and leaned it against the wall. She fixed her dress feeling relieved that her hair was not touched by rain. She smiled to herself at the courage that reigned in her body. Screw it. She wants to see him and he won't be able to avoid her now. Well, at least she hoped that he won't slam the door in her face. He won't, she thought to herself. He is too of a gentleman to do that. She raised her hand and rang the doorbell patiently waiting for him to open the door. As she saw the door starting to open her heart skipped a beat.

He was suddenly standing in front of her in grey jeans and a black T-shirt with a V neckline that fitted his torso perfectly. Damn it. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to come here, she thought once he was standing just two steps away from her.

»Claire?« he asked and looked at her confused.

»Neil. Hi,« she said gently, smiled at him with the sweetest smile she could muster.

»What are you doing here? It's late,« he said seriously.

»Late? It's just nine o'clock.«

»It's late. You know, it doesn't even matter what time it is. You shouldn't be here at all.«

»Oh c'mon. Don't be like this. I came here all the way from the other side of town just to see you,« she said and again flashed a smile at him but this time she was a little bit bolder, her smile turning into a seductive smirk.

»Claire, you can't be here. It's inappropriate,« Neil said thinking how he wanted that the tone of his voice would be harsher but he was incapable to be harsh with her, not when she was standing here in this cute dress beautiful more than ever.

»You know what's really inappropriate? You that don't invite me into the house making me stand here at your porch,« Claire said and Neil sighed.

»What are you afraid of?« Claire teased him.

»You,« he said rolling his eyes and Claire smiled.

»C'mon Melendez, let me in,« she insisted and Neil waited for a few more seconds thinking about all the reasons he should just tell her to leave and close the door but he couldn't.

»This is not a good idea,« he tried once more to convince her about how wrong it was that she was here.

»What do you think will happen if I cross the threshold of your house? That it will go up in flames and burn to the ground?« Claire said putting her hands on her hips and Neil again took a deep sigh trying to stay serious not giving away how much he likes her remarks and her playful side.

He stepped aside to let her in and Claire slowly stepped two steps forward emphasizing each step as she entered his house and she turned toward him.

»You see? I entered and the house is still standing,« she teased him and Neil again rolled his eyes and started closing the door.

As he turned around he almost bumped into her that's how close she was standing. On purpose. He knew that. If he would lean down just a few inches he could touch her lips. Her enticing lips which taste he couldn't forget. Her lips looked and felt so sweet but knew how to be eager as well making him yearn for more.

»Claire, personal space,« he said stepping away, passing at her side moving further into the house toward the kitchen.

»I don't mind you being in my personal space,« Claire said smiling and followed him.

»What are you doing here, Claire?« he said turning toward her standing next to the marble kitchen counter.

»I wanted to see you.«

»You saw me. At the hospital,« he said seriously and Claire felt a little disappointed for a moment at how cold he was but she quickly shrugged the unpleasant feeling away.

»Why are you home?« she quickly asked not reacting to his remark and Neil looked at her confused.

»Why am I home? Where else would I be?«

»On your date,« Claire said and smiled hoping that her predictions about his date being bad and that that is the reason he is already home are correct.

»My date?« he asked and Claire rolled her eyes.

»Yes. You think I don't know about you dating that paramedic that probably always orders the ambulance driver to take the patients to St. Bonaventure just so she can try to seduce the handsome, arrogant, and very talented dr. Neil Melendez?« Claire said with her half-smile raising an eyebrow at him.

»Did you drank? You seem a little bit off. You're usually more quiet and well behaved,« Neil said observing her noticing how playful and flirty she is, smiling at him and flashing at him with her eyelashes.

»You want me to behave? You want me to be quiet? I can be quiet. You probably have a lot of ways to make me shut up or make me scream. Either way …« she said biting her lip and Neil hold his breath trying to stay calm but not really being able to not think about how he would love to make her scream while she's under him, left to his mercy.

»How much did you drink?«

»Two drinks.«

»Two drinks, right. I didn't think you were a liar.«

»I swear. Just two drinks but I didn't eat much today, so …«

»Well, you definitely didn't drink those hideous sweet drinks you usually like to drink when I take you, residents, out after successful surgeries. You drank something stronger.«

»Yes, I tried something new today,« she said smiling.

»What?« Neil asked interested in her answer.

Claire slowly stepped toward him and Neil wanted to move back but his body didn't respond. His mind was screaming at him to move away but he couldn't move his feet. Claire stopped right in front of him looking up at him.

»Find out. I bet you will still be able to taste the divine flavor of the drink in my mouth,« she said and Neil couldn't believe how a woman could say those words with such a sweet tone but still make it sound so seductive.

Neil looked at her lips, swallowing hard, his jaw clenching but suddenly stepped back and went on the other side of the kitchen counter.

»For the love of God, Claire,« he said shaking his head, pouring a glass of water giving it to her.

»Drink,« he ordered her and Claire took the glass from his hands making sure her fingers touched his, and then sat down behind the counter.

»So, you didn't answer me. Why are you home? The nurses were talking that you have the date at seven and this is yo…«

»The nurses were talking about my date?« he asked surprised.

»Yes, I'm so grateful for the nurses. They love me so they tell me everything. It's a good thing I'm so lovable. Ok, moving on … This was your fourth date with this … woman. If the date was going well you wouldn't be home so soon. It was a baaad date, wasn't it?« she asked hoping desperately that she's right.

»My dating life is not your concern,« he said and leaned back against the refrigerator.

Claire stood up from the chair and stepped around the counter toward him.

»Did you kiss her?« she asked hating the thought that another woman would be able to kiss him.

»Why would I answer you this? This is not your business,« he said and took his phone.

»Who are you calling?«

»I'm calling you a cab,« Neil answered.

»Did you kiss her?« she asked again when he put the phone down and Neil looked away in frustration but then again looked back at her.

»Yes. I kissed her,« he answered and Claire realized that this confession of his hurt her more than she wished to admit.

»Why are you trying so hard to forget me?« she uttered her voice a whisper and Neil looked down to the floor not being able to look at her.

»Because that's the right thing to do,« he said his gaze still avoiding her.

Claire wanted to ask him if he slept with this Natasha or what's her name but she bit her tongue knowing that asking him that would be too much. She couldn't ask him that because she was afraid of his answer. She can handle a kiss but she can't handle it if he says that he slept with her. Not when she wanted to be with him for the past half year and knew she will probably never be able to have him.

»Was it good? The kiss …« she broke the silence.

»Claire, stop. Stop torturing us,« he said looking at her thinking that he didn't even go on this stupid date today that the nurses were talking about.

He went with Natasha for a coffee today after his shift to tell her that this thing between them won't work. They were on their third date two days ago. That was when he kissed her. And as he was kissing her the only thing he could think about was the kiss he shared with Claire two months ago. Kiss that was haunting him, not letting him forget about her. But he can't tell her this. If he admits to her that there is not a kiss in this world that would compare to hers he will give her hope and that wouldn't be fair on his part since he was trying to put distance between them even though she was making that very hard for him.

Suddenly, they heard a cab driving into Neil's yard.

»I guess this is my cue to leave,« Claire said and looked at him.

»Yes,« Neil simply said and as she was going toward the hallway he slowly followed her wishing that things could be different and that he could let her stay.

»Neil?« Claire said turning toward him for the last time.

»What?« he asked his tone soft now.

»If you'd kiss me right now, you would taste the whiskey. Your favourite one,« she said and he couldn't help but smile with his full beautiful boyish smile that always took her breath away but then his smile slowly faded.

»Claire … I …«

»I know. We can't be together. I know. You told me this more times than I wanted to hear it,« she said with a heavy sigh and again turned toward the door putting her hand on the doorknob but she didn't make any other move to open the door.

Screw it. Screw it! Screw everything. She turned around again, wishing that she would still have that whiskey courage. She didn't. The effect of whiskey completely wore off. Now she will have to find actual courage. The real one.

»What?« Neil asked her as he saw how she's looking at him with a blank stare.

»I know you told me so many times already that we can't be together but somehow … it's like I don't understand. Or better yet, I don't want to understand. So, I guess you are going to have to tell me this over and over again and I still don't know if I will ever understand what it means if I will believe you.«

»Claire …« Neil whispered but didn't say anything else and as he said her name with his deep soft voice the courage hit her.

As if him saying her name bewitched her and drew her to him because her feet suddenly confidently and without a shred of hesitation started to move toward him and after a few steps she was there holding him in her arms her lips pressed to his. As Claire broke the kiss, the sound of their lips parting filling up the silence of a hallway, she looked at him expecting he will again start bantering about how inappropriate this is, that he is her boss, that she is his resident, and that this shouldn't be happening, that she shouldn't even be here but instead she suddenly found herself pinned against the wall, his body pressing against hers, his kiss far less innocent than hers. She gave in to his touch letting him take control over her mouth enjoying the moment for which she knew won't last forever no matter how much she wanted it to. She held him close, she slid her fingers into his hair so she will be able to remember the feeling of their softness, her other hand traveled across his back trying to remember every inch of it. She tried to memorize him as much as possible so that she will be able to hang on to this feeling, this memory for when he won't be by her side.

Neil knew this is wrong. He knew that he is messing things up, making things harder for both of them but he couldn't. He couldn't hold back, he couldn't let her go. He didn't want the kiss to end. Hell, he wanted more. He wanted to get her out of this dress and then throw her into his bed, he wanted to make her his in a way that she wouldn't be able to even imagine being with another man. He yearned for her for six months. From the moment he saw her for the first time. At the thought of making love to her, his hands pressed her even closer to him, his tongue penetrating deeper into her mouth and that's when he heard her moan into his mouth. A soft, desperate moan and that's when he knew. This has to stop. It already went too far. This moan will haunt him. As their first kiss haunts him. Every time he got a taste of her he found himself yearning for more.

He pulled away from her feeling as if someone robbed him when he didn't have her in his arms anymore. Claire looked at him dumbfounded, her breath heavy, her body craving him. She closed her eyes, leaned her head back against the wall, and tried to collect her thoughts, waiting that her body calms down. Neil's posture was a copy of hers, just on the other side of the hallway across from her. When their breathing calmed down they looked at each other.

»Poor woman. She's dating you thinking she's rocking your world. What she doesn't realize is that she's going to lose,« Claire whispered thinking that there is not a chance in hell that any kiss can beat the kiss they just shared.

Neil stayed quiet.

»You can tell me thousands of times that we can't be together but as long as you're going to kiss me like this … I won't believe you,« Claire said.

»A relationship between us would ruin your career. With time you would resent me because of it,« Neil said seriously.

»I could never resent you,« Claire said back and slowly stepped toward him again.

»Claire, don't. Just please, don't do this to me,« he said and Claire raised her hands in front of her to assure him she won't attack him again.

She stopped in front of him catching his gaze.

»One day we are going to laugh at how stupid we were. Not getting together sooner. Losing all this valuable time because of what? Fear? One day I am going to be yours and you are going to be mine. I knew that the moment I laid eyes on you for the first time,« she said and Neil's heart skipped a beat.

»Such a romantic thing to say. Didn't you say you hate romance?« he asked her.

»I did. Until you. Now I guess I'm trying hard to woo you with everything I got and it's still not working, it's still not enough,« she said and Neil could hear a little bit of disappointment in her voice.

If only she knew how much it worked. If only she knew he was falling in love with her more and more every time he laid eyes on her. He fell for her so fast and hard that it frightened him.

After a moment of complete silence between them, Claire stepped away from him going toward the entrance door.

»You were right. I could still taste the whiskey on you,« she suddenly heard and turned around to face him again.

He was smiling so she smiled back.

»Whiskey is definitely your drink. Strong, intoxicating, addictive actually. I like it,« she said biting her lip.

»Good night Claire,« he said smiling, his gaze gentle, his eyes taking in the sight of her before she leaves.

»Good night Neil,« she said back wishing she would know how to make him realize how much they are missing out by not being together.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading. I hope you liked the story. Share your thoughts with me in the comment section. Do you like the idea of Melendaire falling in love at the first sight? Would you want this story to be a multi-chapter story one day? Let me know. 😊
> 
> Ok, now I am gonna go continue to write the next chapter of Grateful for you so I can update it on Monday! 💖🤗


End file.
